Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
06:43
Esophageal Heat Transfer for Patient Temperature Control and Targeted Temperature Management
Published on: November 21, 2017
Factors affecting in-hospital heat-related mortality: a multi-city case-crossover analysis
M Stafoggia1, F Forastiere, D Agostini
1Department of Epidemiology, Rome E Health Authority, Rome, Italy.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
|February 15, 2008
Summary
High temperatures significantly increase in-hospital mortality risk for elderly patients. Vulnerable individuals, particularly those in general medicine wards, require increased attention during heatwaves.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Geriatric Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Population-level studies show high temperatures increase mortality.
- Individual vulnerability factors for heat-related in-hospital deaths remain largely unknown.
- This study investigates heat-related in-hospital mortality using a multi-city case-crossover analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between high ambient temperatures and in-hospital mortality.
- To identify individual vulnerability factors contributing to heat-related in-hospital deaths.
Main Methods:
- A case-crossover study analyzed data from 94,944 elderly residents (65+ years) in four Italian cities (1997-2004).
- Data included demographics, chronic conditions, diagnoses, and hospital wards for individuals who died in-hospital.
- City-specific analyses estimated pooled odds ratios (OR) for mortality on high-temperature days (30°C) versus moderate days (20°C).
Main Results:
- An overall odds ratio of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.25, 1.39) indicated increased mortality risk on hot days.
- Risk indicators included age, marital status, and hospital ward; general medicine patients faced higher risk.
- Pre-existing psychiatric disorders, cerebrovascular diseases, heart failure, stroke, and chronic pulmonary diseases increased vulnerability.
Conclusions:
- In-hospital mortality is strongly linked to high ambient temperatures.
- Maintaining comfortable hospital temperatures is crucial.
- Vulnerable patient groups, especially those in general medicine, need targeted attention during heatwaves.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Factors Affecting Body Temperature
As a nurse, it is vital to understand the factors affecting body temperature to monitor variations and effectively evaluate deviations from regular.
Factors may include:
Factors may include:
01:20Comparing the Survival Analysis of Two or More Groups
Survival analysis is a cornerstone of medical research, used to evaluate the time until an event of interest occurs, such as death, disease recurrence, or recovery. Unlike standard statistical methods, survival analysis is particularly adept at handling censored data—instances where the event has not occurred for some participants by the end of the study or remains unobserved. To address these unique challenges, specialized techniques like the Kaplan-Meier estimator, log-rank test, and Cox...
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
When a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social development or spiritual functioning is compromised, this deviation from a healthy normal state is called illness. Illness creates stress that in turn harms individuals. Irritation, anger, denial, hopelessness, and fear are behavioral and emotional changes an individual experiences in the phases of illness. A variety of factors influence a person's health and well-being.
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...
01:21Causality in Epidemiology
Causality or causation is a fundamental concept in epidemiology, vital for understanding the relationships between various factors and health outcomes. Despite its importance, there's no single, universally accepted definition of causality within the discipline. Drawing from a systematic review, causality in epidemiology encompasses several definitions, including production, necessary and sufficient, sufficient-component, counterfactual, and probabilistic models. Each has its strengths and...
01:21Cancer Survival Analysis
Cancer survival analysis focuses on quantifying and interpreting the time from a key starting point, such as diagnosis or the initiation of treatment, to a specific endpoint, such as remission or death. This analysis provides critical insights into treatment effectiveness and factors that influence patient outcomes, helping to shape clinical decisions and guide prognostic evaluations. A cornerstone of oncology research, survival analysis tackles the challenges of skewed, non-normally...
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...